Sworn Brothers
by Starsurfer108
Summary: Chapter 3 up. ItachixSasuke. LEMON. Sasuke is forced to become a slave for Akatsuki. Able to reminisce about the past, Sasuke is psychologically taunted by Itachi. itasasu uchihacest complete...
1. Chapter 1

Story summary – ItachixSasuke. LEMON. Sasuke is forced to become a slave for Akatsuki. Able to reminisce about the past, Sasuke is psychologically taunted by Itachi.

Lemon little kids don't read! (has sex)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto D'oh!

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Hearing the sound of talking and shouting, Sasuke cracked open an eye. It sounded like a busy marketplace. To his chagrin he realized that his arms and legs were tied to a large wooden post. In an instant he remembered what had happened the day before; how he had been separated from his team and had to fight two powerful enemies almost successively. He had won, but at a price; his exhausted body had slowed his reactions a split second later than usual, and this allowed the new threat, a group of bandits, to overpower and severely beat him. Group of bandits - slave-gatherers, actually - they had asked that he come with them peacefully, but of course he wasn't going to have any of that. He was aching all over; they certainly hadn't given him a chance once they could see that he was a good fighter.

He didn't think he had any broken bones, but, despite the tight ropes holding him, he knew he was so weak he could barely move his body. He opened his eye a little bit more and saw many people like himself, being traded and subject to the wont of their new master. He was at the illegal slave markets.

An old lady standing next to him started cackling. He couldn't really lift his head, but he moved it slightly in her direction and looked at her. She was obviously his seller. "Finally regained consciousness? Good – people prefer to buy slaves that don't look like they're dead." She cackled loudly again.

He was able to see the feet of the passers-by, and sent out a wave of defiance to anyone who looked they were interested in him. All of them quickly moved on. Even though it was a subtle defense, after a few hours the storekeeper became suspicious and started to get angry.

After some more time had passed, he became aware of someone staring intently at him. He focused his gaze on their feet and saw socks under a pair of open sandals, and a coat made of black cloth with a red cloud design.

"Welcome, sir!" said the storekeeper. "This is a lovely young lad, good arms, and quite a bargain!"

Wordlessly, Itachi stepped forward and pressed against Sasuke, and lowering his head began to trail kisses down Sasuke's neck, ending with a strong nip on the shoulder. Sasuke winced.

The storekeeper was disappointed – she knew these types of buyers were fickle and always hard to reason with.

"How much?" asked Itachi.

"Only 150, a real bargain!" grinned the old lady.

Itachi turned so he was facing her directly and calmly said "100, plus a subservient binding".

The storekeeper was taken aback, but since there was a lack of interest from the general public, she haughtily said "Very well, sir!"

Sullen and disappointed, she untied Sasuke. Sasuke fell to the ground, unable to move. Itachi looked at the storekeeper who tried to laugh her way out of it. Not wanting to lose a sale, she quickly put the binding spell on.

"There, sir, now you can activate the punishment at will, or he will be punished if he disobeys your direct orders. As usual, the punishment is extreme pain in all parts of the body. You can release him from the binding at any time".

Still eyeing her, Itachi paid the money and lifted Sasuke in his arms.

Once they were away from that area, Itachi said "Now you are a slave for Akatsuki." Sasuke opened his eyes a little. Itachi continued, "We needed a scout. You will suffice. I will tell you your orders tomorrow, after we've rested at the inn."

The rest of the walk was spent in silence. Due to the rhythmic rocking caused by being carried in Itachi's arms and also his own exhaustion, Sasuke found himself frequently slipping between his mind and his surroundings. The familiar thoughts were never too far away; all to do with the topic that was his singular reason for living.

He had never understood his brother. Itachi was recognized as a prodigy from a very young age, yet he kept pushing himself to his limits daily. Sasuke had always admired Itachi for that; he wasn't trying to match anyone… Itachi had simply wanted to continue progressing despite his already high level. Being strong was the first thing anyone ever mentioned, and as a child Sasuke was always being told to "become a great shinobi like your brother". To him, Itachi had it all. Which made it even more puzzling that Itachi didn't seem to like the company of others. Itachi kept a distance from everyone, never going out of his way to be with people; in reality, he continuously gave Sasuke excuses as to why he couldn't spend time with him and probably avoided situations where he would have to say that to others. Sasuke never judged him for that, but maintained the hope that one day they would be able to share some brotherly moments together.

All hopes were dashed when that fateful day came along, when he returned to find his parents and clansmen killed by Itachi. At the time he was unable to face Itachi, being too scared to stand and fight. He had been reprimanded by Itachi for not being able to control his emotions and trying to escape, and was therefore "not worth killing". Emotions had always been an unnecessary distraction for a shinobi.

Blinking, Sasuke returned to the present. They had arrived at the inn, and were going up the stairs to the pre-booked room. Since that fateful day, he had trained to suppress his emotions and to nurture hatred for his brother. However, because of his weakened body and mind, he could tell that he was more emotional than usual. Sasuke struggled to regain his self-control, to not let the wounds of the past be shown in the present. Having succumbed to his emotions in the past and behaving in a way unworthy of a shinobi was certainly an Achilles heel – he must continue to fight strongly despite his past actions if he were to have any hope of matching Itachi evenly. He couldn't remember any time where Itachi had let his emotions take over; in fact, it was unlikely that that ever would have happened, given his brother's nature. Sasuke's mind was brought back to the slave markets; Itachi's kisses had been very soft, very gentle. He bitterly thought that they were the only display of affection his brother had ever shown him.

Itachi placed him on the bed, and loomed over him.

"Did you like my kisses, Sasuke?" asked Itachi with a condescending look.

Sasuke's eyes immediately widened. To his horror, Sasuke realized that his emotions were too obvious; that that part of him which just wanted a brother had been at the surface too long, even though he hadn't actually said anything. Sasuke couldn't admit to that vulnerability, which was so unsightly for a shinobi, but he couldn't deny it either. He didn't need to reply; Itachi knew.

Itachi got on the bed and leaned closer. "Did you want more kisses?" Itachi asked with a cold smirk.

Sasuke knew Itachi was highlighting his weakness, again taunting him about being unworthy of being a shinobi, while showing his own prowess of insight. In his weakened state, Sasuke couldn't alter his emotions; his rational mind could only witness. Again, he couldn't give a reply; while he wanted to be strong, he couldn't deny the existence of that part of him that simply wanted emotional affection from Itachi, which Itachi saw as a blight – typical of his weak younger brother.

Letting out a soft "hm!", Itachi leaned closer and started to softly kiss Sasuke's neck. Sasuke was defeated – he could barely move his body, his emotions were untamed and easily read – he knew those kisses were filled with taunts. It wasn't filling that emotional void left by his brother – it was highlighting the fact the void was still there. Damning his lack of self-control, Sasuke was left with nothing other than feeling the sensation. It was gentle enough so that it wasn't hurting him, even though he was battered from his fights. Of course it felt good. Kissing turned to licking as Itachi made his way up and ended with softly putting his tongue in Sasuke's ear. The subtle touch was powerful, and Sasuke wondered how his brother learnt _this _technique.

Leaning back to survey Sasuke again, Itachi slowly and gently ran his hands along Sasuke's body, removing all clothing. Sasuke lay there, naked and vulnerable.

Coming forward again, Itachi started licking Sasuke further and further down, until he reached Sasuke's member, which was already starting to swell. Itachi manipulated it with his tongue in various ways. Sasuke couldn't help but give a groan every few seconds. Finally, the pleasure couldn't be contained and he sharply shouted his release. Itachi could tell it was coming; he had moved his head and gathered the spill with his hand, which he rubbed on Sasuke's backside to lubricate.

Upright again, Itachi removed his own clothes. He placed one finger, then two, then three in Sasuke's backside, moving them rhythmically until he was sure that Sasuke was feeling pleasure. He then placed his own erect member just on the entry, and leaned forward to lie on Sasuke, also intertwining his fingers with Sasuke's, who initially yelped from the pressure of his brother's body. Itachi locked mouths with Sasuke and thrusted, so Sasuke scream went into Itachi's mouth.

Starting to thrust in a rhythm, Itachi gave stronger kisses to Sasuke's neck and shoulder, occasionally licking. Still weak and also lulled by the constant rhythm, Sasuke's mind wandered back to that fateful day where his world came down.

"W-why?" Sasuke whispered. He didn't need to say more; Itachi would know what he was referring to.

"Shut up," came the harsh reply. Itachi gave Sasuke a brutal kiss, and they continued to tongue-wrestle until they climaxed, both exclaiming their release. Itachi and Sasuke made eye contact for a few seconds, both panting, until Itachi finally rolled off and settled down for the night, without touching Sasuke further.

Sasuke hated himself for being so emotionally vulnerable. He'd always been self-centred, being from the way he acted that day to his motivation for revenge in the present; it wasn't something so altruistic… he wanted to prove that _he_ was a worthy shinobi. Lying there, he knew what just happened had been a display of criticism from Itachi, as well as Itachi showing his own prowess. He was pretty sure his brother wasn't gay… well, at least Itachi didn't match the flamboyantly gay type, despite the nail polish. Itachi was strong – he could do something this personal to Sasuke, all the while being aware of Sasuke's body so as to sensitively touch him in the right places – and still remaining so cold, so emotionally distant afterwards.

He didn't think it was wrong to want to have real brotherly love, but he was helpless in that regard; that need still remained regardless of Itachi's actions. Despite the way that Itachi had behaved all his life, Sasuke still wanted that place in Itachi, that place that actually delights in the approval of others, to surface.

If that place was there in Itachi.

What had just happened hadn't been intended by Itachi to give Sasuke what he wanted.

_But it was still something_, Sasuke thought bitterly as he realized it had affected him against his wishes and better judgment. That hungry emotional void had been slightly filled from this pseudo-affection.

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My first lemon fic ;;;;;;;;;; But I have read yaoi before shrugs

From what I've seen of Naruto, I think it's quite in character for Itachi to psychologically torture Sasuke. The title is called 'Sworn Brothers' because Sasuke is now forced to work for Akatsuki, and it's supposed to highlight the fact they didn't have a real relationship before, even though they actually are brothers. And it's supposed to be sooooooo angsty, which is characteristic of their relationship.

If you are able to leave feedback, that would be great. Thanks to anyone who does!

The word 'shinobi' is a Japanese term for ninja/fighting person. And 'Achilles heel' in this context meant a vulnerability or major weak spot.


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke woke to the sunlight streaming through the window and birds chattering happily. He was alone in the bed. His body was sore and aching all over, but he still felt slightly more refreshed due to that night's sleep. Forcing himself up, he searched for his clothes. With a clenched jaw, he dressed himself as he remembered the night before. He hated Itachi for it, and he hated himself for allowing himself to be emotionally exploited. Now, however, he felt stronger, and he could feel that he was more a master of himself; at least, master enough that he could wear a permanent scowl on his face, even though he was still feeling so weak he couldn't do much else. With fighting ki rising, he weighed his options. Itachi had bought him, and he was technically a slave… Itachi must have been out of his mind to think that he would obediently serve him. But he also remembered that Itachi had insisted on a subservient binding…. what was _that_?

His musings were interrupted by Itachi striding through the door. Meeting Sasuke's gaze, he stared at him unemotionally. Sasuke's scowl deepened at the sight of his enemy.

"Are you strong?" asked Itachi.

"Yes", replied Sasuke defiantly.

Itachi's cold but observant gaze remained on Sasuke for a few moments more, and then he said "Come. We'll start towards the rendezvous point."

He had to be kidding. If there was the slightest chance of any bluff, he would call it. He didn't think it was possible to hate Itachi more, but here was living proof of it.

Clenching his fists, Sasuke remained where he was. Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly at this rebellious behaviour.

Once it became obvious that Sasuke wasn't going to budge, Itachi said "Come, Sasuke. That's an order."

Immediately a light blue glow appeared around Sasuke, and he felt pain so excruciating that he couldn't even scream – his lungs were paralysed. It was like a knife repeatedly striking every cell in his body. He lost sensation of his surroundings and fell to the floor, still feeling the effects of the subservient binding. Even though he couldn't coherently think, he still didn't want to give in to his brother, thus activating the full force of the punishment again. Writhing in agony and unable to breathe, he could feel he was losing himself.

Itachi knelt down to Sasuke and said "Your choices are to come with me, or to die. In about 10 seconds the binding will kill you."

There was nothing in the world that Sasuke would hate more than to help Itachi.

But he was right. Dying this way wouldn't accomplish anything.

As soon as he intended to follow his brothers wishes, he was released from the pain. He lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Inside he was damning himself and his situation, but was resolved to do what he thought was the only path.

Itachi rose.

"Now, come."

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Racing through the trees, Sasuke had a hard time keeping up with Itachi. He knew that even if he wasn't in a weak state, he would still find it difficult. Worse still, he got the sense that Itachi wasn't using his full potential, that he had slowed himself to accommodate Sasuke.

Still not nearly recovered, Sasuke had used up his energy reserves and was doggedly continuing the dash. Every limb felt like lead when he tried to move. He was also starting to have momentary blackouts.

Finally, Sasuke tripped on a branch ever so slightly. Gritting his teeth, he hoped his brother hadn't noticed his mistake.

Itachi was fully aware that Sasuke was struggling to keep his body active, but seeing Sasuke trip was a situation that could not be tolerated. He reached out his hand to help Sasuke.

Sasuke's pride as a shinobi was hurt, and being obstinate he didn't want to accept help from anyone, especially Itachi. He smacked away Itachi's hand.

With a disapproving tone, Itachi said "There's no point in exhausting yourself, Sasuke. You'll be more use if I help you."

Of all the things, why did Itachi have to be _right_? And he hated the way that resisting Itachi's clear logic would make him seem childish.

Finally, he nodded his assent. Relieved of his burden thanks to Itachi, he was able to comfortably jump from branch to branch. In fact, he didn't need to use much effort at all. The force he received from Itachi was enough to propel him in a natural arc to the next branch.

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Itachi motioned to Sasuke to come to the ground. "It's time we eat", he said. "I'll go catch some fish," and started walking away.

Sasuke immediately ran after him, not liking the sense of being useless.

Itachi turned and said "No, Sasuke. Stay and rest."

Making a "ghk" sound, Sasuke stopped in his tracks. He wasn't too happy with the situation, but he knew it was pointless to argue, so he followed his brother's advice and sat down to rest on a boulder. He could see why Itachi had been a successful ANBU leader - he was able to make logical decisions and thus inspire confidence in his subordinates, and he was also able to adjust himself to the benefit of the team.

Very quickly Itachi returned with five freshly caught fish and some firewood. Soon the smell of roasted fish was in the air.

Sasuke received the fish that Itachi handed to him without saying the appropriate "thank you", and in turn Itachi didn't let the lack of propriety bother him.

There was one fish left. Itachi picked it up and handed it to Sasuke.

Sasuke gasped. "But-"

"Your body's still recovering, and you need your strength," interrupted Itachi.

On the surface it wasn't anything more than a impassive gesture between comrades, but it made Sasuke tremble. He took the fish, still shaking. He couldn't help it.

"Why are you trembling?" asked Itachi, with slight disapproval.

"It's from all the travelling today," snapped Sasuke, aware that Itachi had clearly seen his internal conflict. There was a grain of truth in that; if he didn't have an exhausted body, that reaction might not have surfaced.

Munching down the fish, he kept his eyes on the fire. He was angry that a flicker of weakness had shown in him again.

After resting for a short while, they continued on their journey.

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When the surrounding woods were only faintly illuminated by the remainder of the sunlight, Itachi motioned for them to stop to settle down for the night. They weren't going to light a fire; it would be too dangerous in case there were some shinobi patrolling the area.

Sasuke was exhausted. Even with Itachi's help, the continuous exercise had greatly drained his already depleted energy reserves. He could feel himself becoming weak and vulnerable again. It was also starting to get cold.

"Come here, Sasuke," Itachi said as he motioned to Sasuke to come to where he lay.

Fearful and stunned, Sasuke froze, but then recollected himself – he had to do what Itachi wanted him to do, whatever Itachi's intentions were. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he lay on the ground next to his brother. Keeping his eyes fixed on the sky, he tensed as he could hear his brother removing his coat. Itachi threw the coat over both of them, like a blanket, and closed his eyes. Sasuke could feel Itachi's disapproval and abhorrence at what he sensed from Sasuke; at the very least, their current situation didn't allow for a repeat of what had happened the previous night, and besides, that's all it would have been – a repeat.

Sasuke remained tense until he could his brother breathing evenly, and let out a sigh of relief. He felt he could somewhat understand his brother, but he didn't feel confident enough to predict his actions. While he wanted to keep his distance from Itachi due to his long-standing resentment, he was also very curious about this quiet, reserved person. There was no doubt that only very few people would know him well, if any. Surely this was the most time they had ever continuously spent together, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if his knowledge of his brother had refined in any way. He turned his head and watched Itachi's chest rise and fall slowly, continuously, and saw the peaceful expression on his face as he rested.

_What if Itachi says something in his sleep? Something personal?_ It was unlikely given his level of training, but even Itachi couldn't be alert all the time. It was almost impossible…_but what if he did say something?_

He saw Itachi's lips twitch. Now alert, Sasuke craned his neck forward, and with baited breath, listened as his brother started whispering….

"Go… to... sleep… Sasuke…"

_Bastard._

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A/N: Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! n-n I really appreciate it – the first chapter COULD have been a stand-alone, and in a way it still is… but there were other ideas I had about the relationship between the two brothers…. even though it may not be what you all expect given the first chapter, I can only write it as I see it – I'm not at the level where I can write purely to accommodate others. But anyway, if you enjoy the rest of the story, I'll be happy, but if you only like the first chapter, I'll still be happy. n-n In this chapter, Sasuke is still emotional, but it's only evident when he's not indifferent to Itachi. I wanted to highlight the subtle interaction between the two brothers when they finally spend time together (and I may have stuffed up which parts are supposed to be in italics .-. ) I could have elaborated in certain parts of the story, but I felt it was getting too wordy, and what I had there was in seed form. In particular, the part of the reasons why Itachi wouldn't have, uhh, repeated what had happened the night before – in my mind, he had already proved his point, asserted his dominance, and it would have shown him being lustful if it had happened again, which was NOT how I wanted to portray Itachi, since it would detract from the original point he was making (i.e. to torture Sasuke for being emotionally vulnerable, in a nutshell) So, sorry to anyone who wanted lemony freshness in this chapter x-x I also noticed that many of my sentences are short – I'm trying to make them longer so it reads better, but meaningfully longer If you want to tell me improvements I could have made, that's much appreciated as well.

_Blows kisses to everyone_

Next chapter: Itachi's past and most likely the final chapter n-n (I'll try to update quickly before more chapters of the Sasuke and Itachi fight in the Naruto manga get released u-u _angsts_ )

Glossary: Ki (or Qi) energy, or will

Shinobi: some ninja-fighting dude from Japan. And as far as I know 'shinobi' is the singular form and also the plural.

Disclaimer: I am female, hence I cannot be that guy who actually does own Naruto. u-u

P.S. Thank you Kitora for your review, but I actually like pie! n-n


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. X3

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Again, Sasuke woke up alone. It was very early, but the sky was just starting to become illuminated. Itachi's coat was still covering him. He shivered as the moan of the wind got louder and a chilly gust blasted into his face. Not one to be idle, Sasuke rose, and wrapping the coat around him, moved to a place where he could have a better view of the area. Now the various cries of birds were starting to be more frequent. Inhaling deeply, he enjoyed the invigorating freshness of the morning air and savoured his solitary moment.

"Itachi?" came a perplexed voice from behind.

Sasuke whirled around and saw a blue-skinned shinobi in Akatsuki garb, holding a large implement wrapped in cloth and staring at him.

"No, Kisame," came his brother's voice from down the hill. Both of them turned to look to see Itachi quickly approach them. Itachi's hair was slightly damp, but other than that he looked as usual. Sasuke couldn't help but think that the distinctive Akatsuki black-with-red-clouds design was still less conspicuous than his brother's choice in clothing.

"Itachi…" said Kisame, eyeing Itachi as if he had been the victim of one too many mangekyou sharingans. He didn't need to continue – Itachi could guess what his concerns were.

"His skills are sufficient to aid us," was the reply, as he unkindly snatched his coat back from Sasuke.

"Yes, but… can he of all people be trusted to help us?" pressed Kisame, unconvinced.

Itachi gave a cold smirk. Sasuke's body contorted as he was surrounded in the pale blue light indicating activation of the punishment. He fell to the ground and lay there, lungs frozen, blindly clutching at the sky.

A few moments later the blue light faded, leaving Sasuke gasping on the ground. Itachi said "This is the strength of the subservient binding which was administered by the trader. As you can see, it is strong enough to ensure that Sasuke acts in our best interests. Believe it."

Still not entirely happy with the situation, but not one to ignore the evidence, Kisame gave a quick nod.

Still panting, Sasuke started to regain his bearings. He cursed himself again for being overcome by a simple spell but at the moment he could see no other option than to obediently play along.

"Let's go" ordered Itachi.

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Sasuke crouched in a tree outside Konoha Village, keeping an eye on the various movements of the shinobi. He had no doubt that 'scout' actually meant 'bait' to enable the two Akatsuki members to complete their task – a task which they had not revealed to Sasuke. Sasuke would have been surprised if it wasn't to do with the fox-demon-collecting hobby, since it seemed it was all the Akatsuki ever did. "_Perhaps the Akatsuki leader simply wanted the demon foxes as a collection and they didn't actually transfer power, so told a story to a few others to get them to do the hard work for him_," smirked Sasuke, as he thought of someone playing Itachi for a fool.

"_Whatever_," thought Sasuke, as he focused again on the task at hand.

Sasuke gave a slight snort. The whole thing was ridiculous – the plan was that if he saw the shinobi deviate from their patrol path, he was to whistle and light a flare. He had been told that it would create a diversion to allow the Akatsuki to escape, but Sasuke knew there was no way the ANBU would stop tracking the Akatsuki – it was far more likely that other ANBU would simply come to attack Sasuke. The plan was too flawed - he knew there was more than met the eye. Still, he had to do what he was told.

Suddenly alert, he could hear Shinobi shouting in the distance, raising the alarm. Sasuke gave the signals and readied himself as the reserve ANBU came to swarm him. He put up a valiant fight in his less-than-optimal physical condition, but, as expected, it wasn't good enough to defend against multiple shinobi of the highest caliber. Darkness spread over his vision as he lost sensation of the pain throughout his body.

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The feeling of disorientation returned and Sasuke realised he was in a brightly-lit interrogation room. He was bound to a chair, probably because he had renounced his ties with Konoha, so they didn't have a choice. To his surprise, he saw Itachi strapped to an adjacent wall with specially-treated ropes. The idea that Itachi, the ex-ANBU leader, could be overcome was unbelievable... especially since there was no sign of Kisame. Re-focusing his vision, he saw the Hokage, Tsunade, standing there with a strong look, surrounded by her advisors.

"Good. You're awake. Now, perhaps we can clean up this mess," said Tsunade sternly, but the exasperation she must have been feeling also was evident in her voice, despite her best efforts. She also had the feeling that Itachi's capture had been too easy, but despite her discomfort and lack of understanding of Itachi's plans, she had no choice but to cautiously continue the interrogation, as was standard procedure.

Gazing at Itachi, he saw there were slight marks from harsh interrogation methods. Obviously, he had not told them anything, given their frustration.

His musings were interrupted as loud shouts were heard down the hallway. He immediately recognised Naruto's high-pitched voice. His only 'friend' burst through the door, amidst ANBU clutching at him whilst profusely apologising for the interruption.

"Let him stay," said Tsunade, annoyed. It was a quick decision; she needed order in the room but also hoped it would reveal Itachi's plans to the fullest, as she knew Akatsuki had an interest in Naruto.

Shoving off the ANBU, Naruto gaped at what he saw, not understanding the situation. "Sasuke!", he yelled, with a wave and a cheesy grin, which faded into confusion as he realised he wasn't getting a response.

"You have finally arrived, Kyuubi," said Itachi, menacingly.

Naruto turned in anger to Itachi, only to be interrupted by the sound of Sasuke writhing in silent agony. He watched in shock as he saw Sasuke, surrounded by blue light and with a tortured look on his face, falling to the ground obliviously.

The blue light faded, and everyone surveyed Itachi, due to this revelation and also because he had an air of being in control.

"A subservient binding," said Tsunade with derision and authority. "It is said that the binding is so strong that it cannot be dissolved by outside force."

Itachi remained indifferent. A look of rage appeared on Naruto's face after gaining an understanding Sasuke's predicament. He knew the Kyuubi inside him was valuable to the Akatsuki, and was about to offer himself as a bargaining chip when Tsunade spoke again.

"However, Itachi, the bond may not be able to be dissolved by jutsu, but it can be reversed," said Tsunade contemptibly and with a smirk. A small flicker of anger appeared in Itachi's eyes.

"You will see the results of trying to use Sasuke as a pawn." Tsunade's glee couldn't be hidden as she knew her enemy hadn't planned for this. "As Sasuke's only reason for disobeying the laws of Konoha was to gain revenge on you, I am sure we will be safe if he becomes your master." She laughed.

Giving quick instructions to her servants, she began the reversal jutsu.

Sasuke felt like he was being pulled down out of his body into a void. He lost sensation of his own body and his surroundings. Suddenly he was surrounded by white light. Slowly an image formed in front of him – it was the Uchiha family residence. He could see himself, about 2 years old, laughing in a carefree way and playing on the dirt in front of the house with some toys.

A younger version of his mother came out of the house. "Come, Itachi, it's time for supper!"

_Itachi. That was Itachi? _

The young boy flashed the brightest smile ever seen, giggled and said "coming 'Kaasan!". Eagerly he picked up his toys and ran into the house.

Suddenly the scene dissolved and Sasuke was pulled towards a scene at night. He observed the young boy he now recognised as Itachi was wandering in the woods. Itachi didn't seem to be comfortable where he was, but he seemed to be searching for something or someone. Finally he saw his father sitting on a rock with a gaze that didn't show any trace of softness. With trepidation, Itachi approached him. With a steely gaze their father said "You must be strong, Itachi."

The scene shattered, and Sasuke was now surrounded by an incoherent jumble of screams, blood, and two blood red eyes against a black background. _The mangekyou sharingan? _Sasuke was now being flooded with seemingly endless scenes so it was impossible to extract clear perceptions, but all the while there was an overpowering sense of extreme fear. He could sense many silent screams.

Sasuke gasped as he was being sucked back up into his body, and saw many people standing around him with seals formed, including the Hokage.

"You're back!" Tsunade smiled, relieved. "There was an unexpected effect of the reversing - your psyche dissolved, and-"

Sasuke let out a bloodcurdling scream and lost consciousness.

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Awaking in a hospital bed under guard, Sasuke jumped up, his mind whirling with his sudden change in circumstance. He had to prove the reversal had worked. It was beautiful – he had finally come into a position of power with his brother, and it was his brother's own doing for using a spell which couldn't be broken by outside means.

Hearing his struggle with the guards, Tsunade came into the room. Looking at Sasuke with a amenable gaze, she asked "Sasuke, will you help us find out Akatsuki's secrets? We need your help."

"Just show him to me!" snapped Sasuke. "I just want to see him!"

Giving a nod, Tsunade, Sasuke and the ANBU guards started walking towards the specially fortified jail cell.

Coming closer to the cell, Sasuke suddenly realised he was uncertain of how to act. His mind was reeling to the images he had seen of the younger Itachi – _were they real?_ Given Tsunade's explanation of what had happened, it was quite possible they were accurate – _and does Itachi know what I saw? What could I possibly say to him? _Still clinging to his age-old feeling of revenge, despite the revelation of Itachi's extreme experiences, Sasuke steeled himself. _But I will defeat him. I must._ Even so, his resolve was not as strong as before.

Seeing Sasuke lost in thought and moody, Tsunade said "Sasuke, since he is your brother, he may be less guarded in his answers if it is only you he is talking to. He doesn't have any restraints, except for the room itself, but I believe you will be safe because you can activate the subservient binding at will."

Sasuke nodded, somewhat relieved that he didn't have to censor his talk due to the others' presence.

Reaching the fortified door, he paused a moment, gathered himself, and stepped inside.

After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see Itachi calmly sitting on the floor, with a calm, masterful expression - clearly not fazed by the situation.

Strong, but still slightly unsure of how to act, Sasuke let his anger at Itachi guide him.

"So you're finally in a position where you can get what you deserve," said Sasuke defiantly.

Itachi gave a menacing chuckle. "Do you really think you've won, Otouto? I have been in control of you your entire life. Do you really think that could change?" With a disdainful, predatory look, he started to rise.

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. His pain of his childhood flashed in his memory, filled with longing, of unrequited brotherly affection, of betrayal. Aware of the danger if Itachi came close, Sasuke ordered him to stay on the floor. Itachi rose defiantly, immediately being surrounded by the pale blue light.

Itachi calmly stood there, indifferent, staring at Sasuke.

Sasuke's mouth opened slightly – he couldn't believe that it was possible for anyone to be able to act nonchalantly about that level of pain. He was in awe of Itachi's level of mastery.

But he could see something else, something deeper and very subtle. Without words, Itachi was also saying that it was normal for him to experience this, and life was extreme pain and suffering.

_No. It didn't have to be- not while he was here. _

Reflexively, Sasuke said the words to permanently dispel the binding and ran to Itachi, burying his face in his chest. Wordlessly, Itachi stood there, immobilised. He could tell what Sasuke was seeing, and it left him in shock - paralyzed and vulnerable. Suddenly he snapped and threw Sasuke to the other side of the room. Sasuke raised his head and saw that Itachi had gritted his teeth, and wore the angriest expression on his face. Sasuke didn't make a move to get up; he lay there staring at Itachi, mesmerised by what he was finally seeing; things he wouldn't have been able to see earlier. He understood from his visions that Itachi had been exposed to extreme conditions at a very young age; harsh conditions were normal training for shinobi, except in Itachi's case it had been many years before other children would have started training. And being repeatedly exposed to the Mangekyou Sharingan of all things; one exposure had been enough to incapacitate himself and Kakashi. He had no idea whose eyes with the Mangekyou Sharingan Itachi was seeing, but he knew it wasn't his father's… but he also knew his father had instigated the training and the other family members were supportive of it… of this unimaginable torture. He could see that Itachi had to become insensitive to these extreme emotions in order to survive, and so he had to tightly lock away that sensitive part of him, and as he stopped feeling he also forgot the extreme fear that kept him pushing himself so hard. Despite his continuous efforts to destroy his emotions, Sasuke could see them subtly in play – while the slaughter of his family had made Itachi strong, so to speak, he could now see the vengeance involved – they had wanted him to become a strong shinobi, so he gave them what they wanted. Itachi's emotions were there, creeping to the surface. Sasuke could see them. Clearly.

Breathing heavily, Itachi staggered towards the reinforced entrance, and using his desperation as strength, invoked Amaterasu to blast through the wall.

Sasuke watched sadly as he saw his brother disappear through the hole. He felt this may be the last time he would ever see his brother. Immobilised by the surreal experience, it was a bittersweet moment. He had seen Itachi's human side, and despite the lack of affection shown by his brother, he felt somewhat happier, knowing that such a hidden part in Itachi had been revealed; a part that had allowed him to understand Itachi's actions and also Itachi himself.

Exhausted, Sasuke fell unconscious with a faint smile on his lips.

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Itachi mechanically raced through the trees, still feeling the emotional turmoil from the awoken past, and absorbed in the unusual feeling of emotional vulnerability. To his surprise, Itachi felt happier knowing that a part of Sasuke wanted his affection unconditionally. He knew that if that part died in Sasuke, then he would truly be dead.

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A/N: So there it is. X3 I actually wanted to have the first chapter as a one-shot, but I had a few more ideas between the interaction of the brothers. I had to add a few jokes here and there, especially at the beginning of this chapter – I just needed Sasuke to wake up and Kisame to meet, so it would be quicker if it happened all at the same time. Yes, the "Believe it." was intentional. XDD

I wanted to end with an emotional resolution – I didn't want it to be out of character if I could help it, and with the satisfaction felt by Sasuke of understanding Itachi. Considering grief and bewilderment was driving Sasuke, this would be a suitable climax. Of course, Itachi's past is fancifully interpreted by me – and, a confession, I haven't thoroughly read Naruto. XDD So, Itachi finally appreciates Sasuke, and Sasuke finally understands Itachi.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and for what I thought were very positive comments. I'm so happy if anyone enjoyed this! Thank you!


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